Diwali At Home With The Bhatias

Industrialist Aneesh Bhatia and his Deccan chronicle heiress wife, Gayatri, talk about why this Diwali is so special to them, as they welcome Hello! Into their beautiful Delhi home. They share anecdotes and stories about the festive season and what makes this truly a time of the year to look forward to

- Vishwaveer Singh

For Aneesh and Gayatri, last Diwali was a significant one because it was their first together; but this year, the Festival of Lights is even more special because it’s their daughter Aleena’s first Diwali. Talking about their plans Aneesh says, “We are looking forward to celebrating with both sides of the family in Hyderabad which is going to be a first for both Aleena and I.”

Normally, Diwali would mean loads of fireworks but keeping Aleena and the environment in mind, the couple say apart from the token firework or two, their focus this Diwali is going to be on getting Aleena to spend time with her many cousins in Hyderabad.

Aneesh says he loves this time of the year because, “Everyone takes time out to spend it with their family and friends.” Talking about why Diwali is so special to him, he adds, “Right from when I was a child, I loved the way all the homes came alive with their lights and decorations. It is just such a beautiful time of the year and yes, when growing up, fireworks played a major part in enjoying the festival.”

For Gayatri too, fireworks added to the excitement and she says her parents taking her and her brother Vijay to one of the many stalls that sold fireworks, and letting them choose what they wanted, is one of her favourite childhood memories. Helping her mum do up the house with diyas is something she also loved and looks forward to Aleena becoming her little festive shopping assistant in years to come.